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British Bookmakers Set to Make Record Contribution for Rights to Show Horse Racing
British bookmakers are on track to make a record contribution to horse racing next year – with the bill for media rights forecast to increase by nearly £30m.
The Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, Entain, Flutter, bet365, 888/William Hill and Betfred, expect to see a record cost increase to broadcast races.
In 2022, BGC members paid £270.1m for the rights to live stream races for customers and show them in bookmakers.
But that cost is forecast to rise to £285.3m this year, an increase of 5.6%, with members estimating a further increase to £315.2m in 2024, a further bump of 10.5%.
The combined increase for media rights costs is now expected to rise by 16.7% between 2022 and 2024.
The figures are based on data supplied by the Betting and Gaming Council’s five biggest members for horse race betting, then adjusted to include smaller operators, who must also pay for media rights.
Michael Dugher, CEO of Betting and Gaming Council, said: “BGC members are already making a record contribution to horse racing and these figures show that is only going to increase.
“This comes despite a reduction in betting turnover on racing in the last five years and a worrying decline in participation in horse race betting overall.
“Horse racing remains a hugely important, world-leading sport, enjoyed by millions of fans and like the betting industry it continues to support large numbers of jobs.
“I know racing is trying to modernise and reach out to new fans, while also trying to bounce back from the Covid pandemic and deal with some difficult economic headwinds, plus deal with the hit on its funding caused by the Government. The betting industry is dealing with many of the same pressures on our revenues and costs.
“The BGC and our members remain fully committed to working together with the leadership of the sport, including the BHA and others, to ensure a better future for racing. But the fact that we are making a record and growing contribution to the sport cannot be ignored.”
The forecast costs come after the BGC announced their members directly contributed £384m to British horse racing last year in levy, media rights and sponsorship deals.
These figures showed an increase on previous estimates for the regulated sector’s contribution, which had placed it at around £350m a year.
In addition, bookmakers spent £125m on marketing to promote racing and betting through advertisements and partnerships, which helps secure vital terrestrial coverage of the sport and raise revenue for print newspaper titles.
As well as the increased costs for media rights, levy payments are projected to be £99m in 2022/2023, according to the Horserace Betting Levy Board.
This record investment also enabled horse racing to use some of these revenues to deliver record prize money of £179.3m in 2022.
Horse racing is the second biggest sport in the UK, second only to football, with more than five million people attending around 1400 fixtures annually across 59 racecourses.
However, its popularity is in decline. In 2007, 17% of the population participated in horse race betting in the previous year, but that fell to 10% in 2018.
Meanwhile football overtook horse racing betting around the same time between 2017/2018.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has committed to reviewing the Horseracing Levy by next year.
The Horseracing Levy, which is administered by the Horserace Betting Levy Board, goes towards improving the sport, breeding and boosting veterinary care.
Betting operators are working closely with the British Horseracing Authority and racing stakeholders on much needed reforms to the fixture list and race programme which should increase commercial returns from the levy and media rights.
The regulated betting industry fully supports this once-in-a-generation opportunity to modernise horse racing so it can realise its full commercial potential.
The BGC is also working closely with the government on the proposed reforms from the White Paper to ensure those who enjoy betting can continue to do so without unnecessary intrusion, while introducing improved safeguards for the minority who struggle.
Betting shops currently support around 42,000 jobs, contribute £1bn a year in tax to the Treasury and another £60m in business rates to local councils.
The wider regulated betting and gaming industry contributes £7.1bn to the economy, generates £4.2bn in tax and supports 110,000 jobs.
In April DCMS unveiled the Government’s new White Paper on gambling reform, including a number of key measures the BGC had campaigned for.
Those included a new mandatory Ombudsman for the regulated sector, enhanced spending checks online and a new mandatory levy to fund research, education and treatment to tackle gambling related harm and problem gambling.
Each month in Great Britain around 22.5m adults have a bet and the most recent Health Survey for England estimated that 0.4% of the adult population are problem gamblers.
Meanwhile the unsafe, unregulated gambling black market online is growing in the UK, with the numbers betting on these sites doubling in recent years, and the amount staked in the billions.
BETBY
BETBY launches fully priced World Cup bracket as part of tournament offering
BETBY, the leading Tier 1 sportsbook provider, has announced the launch of its comprehensive World Cup offering, led by one of the most distinctive advantages currently available to operators: odds on the entire World Cup bracket already available, before the official draw takes place.
Released exactly one month before the opening match, BETBY’s World Cup package gives operators a crucial head start, enabling them to activate campaigns and capture player interest well ahead of kickoff.
The offering also provides operators with an additional marketing tool to drive engagement and maximise player interaction in the lead-up to the tournament.
By providing a fully pre-priced tournament structure across all potential matchups, BETBY allows operators to offer betting markets from the group stage through to the final from day one.
This early availability extends the betting lifecycle significantly, giving players the opportunity to engage with the full tournament narrative in advance and driving sustained activity throughout the build-up to kickoff.
To further enhance engagement during the tournament, BETBY is introducing microbetting for the World Cup, enabling wagers on events occurring within one-minute intervals throughout each match. With at least 90 intervals per game, players can bet on outcomes such as throw-ins, fouls, corners, offsides, goals, and goal kicks.
This real-time, high-frequency betting format transforms the viewing experience into a continuous stream of opportunities, keeping users actively engaged from kickoff to the final whistle while increasing interaction levels, boosting ARPU, and strengthening retention.
Complementing this is BETBY’s eWorld Cup, an esports experience that replicates all tournament matches in a short-format, high-frequency environment.
With matches lasting just a few minutes, the e-sim ensures continuous football action, helping operators fill off-peak gaps and overcome time zone challenges while maintaining consistent user engagement.
The product is fully customizable, allowing operators to tailor visuals, teams, match configurations, and margins to align with their brand and commercial strategy.
BETBY’s World Cup offering is further supported by a dedicated tournament hub, designed to centralize all content, data, and betting opportunities within a single interface.
Users can explore group stages and full bracket progression, access event pages, view promotions and line banners, watch video content, and analyze detailed statistics, creating a more immersive and informed betting experience.
The package includes boosted odds across all World Cup events, daily featured offers, and a wide selection of prebuilt “hot” combos with enhanced pricing, giving operators the flexibility to engage a broad player base, from high-value users to casual bettors.
Operators also benefit from one of the most extensive market coverages in the industry, spanning main markets, outrights, props, and special bets, supported by a trading team ready to accommodate bespoke requests.
By combining early market availability, real-time engagement tools, continuous betting opportunities, and deep trading flexibility, BETBY delivers a complete solution designed to maximize operator performance throughout the World Cup.
“As the biggest sports event worldwide, the World Cup is as much about preparation as it is about execution,” said Chris Nikolopoulos, Chief Commercial Officer at BETBY.
“By being the first B2B sportsbook provider to make the full tournament bracket available ahead of the draw, we’re giving operators a clear advantage: the ability to start engaging players earlier and build momentum well before kickoff.
At the same time, other features like microbetting and our eWorld Cup ensure that engagement stays high throughout every stage of the competition.
We’re delivering a complete content portfolio that allows our partners to maximize both player activity and revenue across the entire World Cup cycle.”
BETBY
BETBY is a leading B2B provider of top-tier sports betting services, renowned for its groundbreaking technology and dedication to excellence. BETBY’s team of industry veterans tap into their knowledge and expertise to deliver a premium, adaptable, and scalable sportsbook platform tailored to meet the varied demands of operators across the globe.
From dynamic in-play betting options to robust risk management tools and ground-breaking AI tools, BETBY is committed to propelling the success of its partners in the rapidly evolving landscape of online sports betting.
For more information visit betby.com
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Almir Ribeiro
BetMGM Brazil hires veteran journalist to lead government relations
BetMGM Brasil has appointed Fernando Vieira de Mello, a journalist with more than 30 years of experience across media, journalism and entertainment, to strengthen its government relations strategy in the country.
The hire comes as Brazil’s regulated betting market enters a phase of consolidation and maturity.
Vieira de Mello is widely recognised in Brazil’s communications market for his career at Grupo Globo, TV Bandeirantes, Rádio Bandeirantes and TV Cultura, where he held roles as reporter, anchor, journalism director and institutional relations executive.
Most recently, he served as director of institutional relations for São Paulo at Grupo Globo, building dialogue with market segments and regulatory bodies across the Brazilian ecosystem.
“Fernando brings a rare combination of experience in communications, management, institutional relations and a deep understanding of Brazil’s media ecosystem,” said Almir Ribeiro, CEO of BetMGM Brasil.
“His arrival further strengthens our long-term vision for the country.”
Vieira de Mello pointed to the scale of the opportunity ahead.
“Few sectors in Brazil will go through such an intense process of transformation and reputation building over the coming years as online betting.
BetMGM enters this moment with very solid attributes: an operation backed by two global groups of enormous credibility, exclusive focus on regulated markets and a clear long-term vision for Brazil.”
The appointment reflects BetMGM’s broader effort to deepen engagement with strategic stakeholders and advance its governance, responsibility and sustainable market-building agenda in Brazil.
BetMGM Brasil
Launched in January 2025, BetMGM Brasil is a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and Grupo Globo. Headquartered in São Paulo, the company was among the first 14 operators to receive definitive authorisation to operate in Brazil’s regulated betting market.
Beyond Brazil, BetMGM offers online gaming and betting platforms in 29 regulated US states and across Europe.
The post BetMGM Brazil hires veteran journalist to lead government relations appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
2026 FIFA World Cup
Esportes da Sorte launches “Convoque” campaign for the World Cup
The brand transforms its iconic blue hat into a narrative asset, bringing together creators, music and football in a multiplatform film ahead of the tournament
Esportes da Sorte has launched “Convoque,” a campaign designed to strengthen the brand’s connection to the World Cup through a language that blends entertainment, pop culture and football.
The campaign transforms the platform’s already recognisable blue hat into a central narrative element, using it as a “portal” between everyday life and a playful universe inspired by the brand experience.
The move marks a strategic effort by Esportes da Sorte to consolidate its presence in the sports betting space during the tournament while maintaining the entertainment identity that has defined its communications.
The lead film features the iconic blue hat alongside influencers and personalities from music, digital culture and sport, including Léo Santana, Jojo Todynho, Cerol, Duda Gutierrez, Marcelinho Carioca, Luizinho Freitas and Bruno Formiga.
The campaign
A sequel to the first film is set to launch at the end of May. In the narrative, an ordinary character leaves a street football match and finds the blue hat glowing on the ground.
When he puts it on, he is transported to a match “outside of reality,” in an environment that combines references from football, casino and digital culture.
The script uses humour, visual exaggeration and fantasy elements to build a brand journey connected to the world of gaming and responsible entertainment.
“The campaign reinforces our strategy for the World Cup: expanding the brand’s presence in the sports territory without losing the fun and entertainment DNA already recognised by our audience,” said Marcela Campos, vice president of Grupo Esportes Gaming Brasil, which owns the Esportes da Sorte, Onabet and Lottu brands.
“The blue hat moves beyond being a visual element and becomes a narrative asset that connects different universes of the brand experience.”
Created by agency Brenda and produced by Nocandy, the campaign takes a multiplatform approach, with distribution across TV, out-of-home, YouTube and social media, as well as activations planned throughout the tournament.
The strategy reflects the intensifying competition for attention among brands in the sector during the most significant sporting event in the global calendar.
The film closes with responsible gambling messaging, aligning the campaign with the group’s institutional positioning around user protection practices and responsible communication in the regulated market.
Esportes da Sorte
Esportes da Sorte is one of Brazil’s leading sports betting platforms, operating under a licence granted by the Ministry of Finance to Esportes Gaming Brasil, the group that also owns the Onabet and Lottu brands.
The company is certified as a Great Place to Work and generates around one thousand direct and indirect jobs. It holds strategic partnerships with institutions including ANJL, IBIA, Sportradar, EBAC and IAA. Beyond sports betting, the group sponsors clubs including Corinthians, Ceará, Ferroviária and Náutico, and supports cultural initiatives including the Galo da Madrugada and carnival celebrations across multiple Brazilian cities.
The post Esportes da Sorte launches “Convoque” campaign for the World Cup appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
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